Process of separating metals from ores.



APPLIOATION FILED AUGv 3. 190B Patented May 11, 1909.

snuenroz PIERRE GERMAIN, or PARIS, FRANCE.

PROCESS OF 'SEPARATING METALS FROM OBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

mated May 11, 1909.

Application filed August 3, mos. semi No. 446,801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE GERMAIN, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Separating Metals from Ores,

for which application has been made in,

clave) 1, which may be made of enameled cast iron or steel and which can be ex osed to an internal pressure of approximate y 100 atmos heres with sufficient safety of working. n the direction of the central axis of this pressure boiler there is a steel tube 2, through which steam is admitted from an inlet pipe 15 at a pressure of about 20 atmospheres. The steam admitted through this tube transmits its heat to the ore to be treated and also to the reagents which are ther oughly mixed with the ore, and thus are in contact with it on all sides. A stirring mechanism, formed of a hollow shaft 3 which is rovided with a large number of apertures 3' in order to admit the ores and the reagents in contact with them, which flow around the pipe 2, and which has also arms or blades 4 which have the form of a spiral segment or any other form, serves for thoroughly mixing the mass to be treated. The upper and lower ends of the shaft 3 of the stirring mechanism run in annular bearings 5. The stirring mechanism receives its motion, for instance from a belt ulley 6 which is keyed on the end of a shaft 7 which is passed through the lowe part of the pressure boiler and is formed in one piece with the hollow shaft 3. A suitable stufling box is preferably employed for obtainin the necessary tight joint. The pressure boiler 1 is also provided with a feed a erture and a suitable pipe 8 for introducing t 1e fluid, also with a manometer 9, one or more thermometers 10, a drawing off and decanting side tap 11 and a pipe 12 which serves for conveying the gases into two absorption vessels arranged beneath the apparatus.

In addition to the hereinbefore mentioned apparatus, other independent organs and a paratus are used during the treatment of tl ie ores, which apparatus serve for filtering the solutions obtained when drawn off and also for washing and separating the ores from their solutions. All these arrangements and parts and also the pressure boiler are enameled internally, in order that they may remain rotected against the decomposing and corro ing action of the acids.

In order to allow the ressure boiler to be conveniently fed and discharged, it is preferably arranged so as to tilt and rock after the manner of the Bessemer converter. For this purpose the pressure boiler holder is provided in'its central part with two pins 13 lying opposite one another, which are carried by two suitable bearing frames or brackets 14. A suitable device is also provided for fixing the pressure boiler in a suitable position.

The pins 13 are made hollow, in order to allow of the passage of two pipes 15 and 16, one of which 15 serves for introducin high pressure steam to the vertical internsil pipe 2, while the other 16 is intended for admitting the active solutions and rc-agents under pressure into the pressure boiler. The means for ti htly packing or fitting the pipes 15 and 16 re ative to the hollow pins 13 may be any suitable ones. A fundamental condition is however that it must remain ossible to tilt on its axis and even to compliately reverse the pressure boiler.

The feed and introduction of the ore to be treated into the pressure boiler, and also the discharge of the residues takes place through a man-hole 17, which is closed by a suitable man-hole cover 18.

The pressure in the interior of the pressure boiler is obtained in any suitable way. This is, however, preferably produced by means of a suction and pressure pump, which is enameled internally and also serves for conveying, through the steampipe 16, a concentrated solution of sodium hypochlorite into the pressure pump.

In order to treat the ore I proceed in the following way:The ore is f rst thoroughly cleaned by removing the worthless constituents, such for instance as silica, carbonate of loo lime and magnesium, iron oxide etc. The hard silica and the quartz are removed by disintegration by means of resilient and yielding grindstones and also by sifting. The calcium and magnesium carbonates, and also the alumina, are removed by cold washin by means of dilute hydrochloric acid. inall the iron oxide are also removed (cold by means of dilute sulfuric acid. The precious metals are not affected by any of these washing processes. The ore treated in this way is also freed from the extracting and washing residues and also from the moisture contained therein. The weight of the ore is now reduced 9/10 that is to say there remains only 1/10 available. This remaining ore is now treated with very finely subdivided iron so-called chemically ure iron, which is Obtained as is well known y calcining and roastin iron oxid in the resence of very finely su -divided charcoal in a closed vessel. The ore mixed in this manner with the re-a out is now introduced into the pressure boi er, which at this moment is in a horizontal position, and directly afterward hydrochloric acid is introduced through the pipe 8. The stirring mechanism 3, 4, is now set going and the ore is subjected to the action of heat, steam being admitted through the center ipe 2. After a little time a concentrated so ution of sodium hypochlorite is introduced under pressure by means of the pum through the pipe 16. Under the action of t e pressure existing in the interior of the pressure boiler and the heat, hydrogen is generated therein, which at the considerable pressure and the hi h temperature reduces the sulfide, arseni s, tellurids, selenids. At this moment nitric acid is introduced under pressure in a quantity which is so calculated as to form with the excess of hydrochloric acid aqua regia. The reduced metals in statu nascendt' are now dissolved by the aqua regia contained in the pressure boiler, which is also ex osed to the action of heat and pressure. here then escapes sulfureted-arseniureted, tellureted and so-forth, -hydrogen, also chlorin in a nascent condition at a considerable pressure and high temperature. also formed nitrates of copper, tin, bismuth, cobalt according to the kind of ore treated, and also sim le or alkaline chlorids of old, latinum, si ver, uranium, sodium an the ike. The sodium-containing residue, which is derived from the combination of the ex cess sodium hypochlorite with the nitric acid which is also in excess, consists of chlorid of sodium or common salt, which combines with the metallic chloride and renders them soluble under heat. Without this reaction, which induces the formation of a soluble double chlorid, the chlorid of silver would be lost by reason of its insolubilit After the three-fold action oTthe high pres- There is v sure (SO-'60 atmos heres), the high temperature (250-300 C. and the hydrogen in a nascent condition (status na-scendi) which is PI'0dll;'( d by the action of the finely sub-di vided iron on the free acid,.has been continued for a sufficient time, the prcssure boiler is again brought into its vertical position and the solutions are then drawn oil and dccanted, the tap 12 is then opened which leads to the small containers which are intended for the absorption and reception of the free gases contained in the pressure boiler 1. The first of these vessels which is not shown in the drawings, contains a hydrocarbon, for instance, turpentine oil or the like, for the purpose of absorbing the chlorin; further in the second vessel ammonia solution is contained, to dissolve the nitrogen derivatives. The sulfuretcd, arseniurcted, telluretcd and so forth hydrogen, is then passed in succession through the two vessels and is consumed by means of a separate burner arranged for this object.

The decanted and drawn off solutions are run off through suitably arranged taps, these taps being situated somewhat beneath the lewl or the-surface of the ore treated. Further the liquid is filtered through a filter iress arranged outside the pressure boiler. teps are also taken for a thorough washing of the risidual ores and the water resulting from the washing and BXiJIititiOIl is treated like the filtered solutions.

According to the chemical constitution of the ore treated, the presence of copper-, tin-, cobalt bismuth-, etc., nitrate, or a silverand sodiumdouble chlorid or gold-, platinum-, iridiunv, uranium-, radium-, chlorid or the like, may be ascertained.

The solutionsremovcd from the ressure boiler are concentrated in any suita le way and exposed to the action of electric currents of suitable potential for the purpose of electrolysis by the usual methods.

Of course the above process may not only be employed for ore residues, but also for all ores of similar constitution or analogous formation.

I declare that what I claim is:

l. A process for treating metallic ores, consisting in mixing the ore with disintegrated iron, introducing the mixture into a pressure boiler, treating the mixture in said boiler with hydrogen and chlorin in a nascent condition, which gases reduce the metallic compounds, and adding nitric acid to the mass so that all resultant metals are attacked in order to yield soluble double nitrates or chlorids.

2. A process for treating metallic ores, consisting in mixing the ore with disintegrated iron, introducing the mixture into a pressure boiler, treating the mixture in said boiler under the action of heat and pressure with hydrochloric acid and then with sodium hypochlcrite, which cause the generation of my neme this 21st day of July 1908, in the hydrogen and ehlorin in a nascent condition, presence of two subscribing Witnesses. which gases reduce the metallic compounds,

and adding nitric acid to the mass so that all P GERMAIN' 5 resultant metals are attacked in order to Witnesses:

yield soluble double nitrates or chloride. ANTONIN MONTEILBET,

In witness where0f,I have hereunto signed 1 H. C. COKE. 

